Eitam behind controversial proposal Photo: Sebastian Shiner
Eitam behind disarmament proposal
Right-wing Knesset Member Effie Eitam suggested disarming evacuees ahead of pullout, Internal Security Ministry says. Statement aims to dispel rumors in the wake of earlier report
JERUSALEM - Surprising revelation: In a highly unusual move, the Internal Security Ministry revealed that Knesset Member Effie Eitam was the one to propose that would-be evacuees be disarmed ahead of the implementation of the Gaza pullout.
Eitam is closely associated with the settlement movement and is known as an outspoken critic of the disengagement plan.
New Idea
Evacuees may be disarmed / By Raanan Ben-Zur
Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra says idea initiated by Yesha Council member; settler leaders, however, say move would jeopardize evacuees’ security
The ministry’s announcement followed earlier reports that a Yesha Council member advised Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra to confiscate the weapons. The report prompted rumors that Yesha Council Head Bentzi Lieberman was behind the recommendation.
‘Minister may have misunderstood Eitam’
As it turns out, Eitam and Ezra met in Jerusalem last week at the minister’s office. During the meeting, Eitam expressed his concern that weapons held by would-be evacuees could constitute a danger during the evacuation.
Meanwhile, Eitam has confirmed that he met with Ezra, and said that he asked him to order police and army forces to refrain from carrying weapons during settlement evacuation.
Eitam added he intends to turn to the evacuees and ask them to hand over their weapons on the day of evacuation, in order to demonstrate that their struggle is non-violent and legitimate.
The Ministry says that should the plan materialize, the settlers themselves would collect weapons on the eve of the evacuation.
Settler leaders, however, say they still refuse to believe that Eitam was indeed behind the proposal. Minister Ezra may have misunderstood Eitam’s comments, Yesha Council officials say.
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